The Green Party launched its general election manifesto today promising that, in government, it will deliver better services, tackle climate change and clean up politics. Rejecting the 'auction politics' approach adopted by other parties, Green Party General Election Candidate for Wicklow, Deirdre de Burca said that the Irish public wants decent health, education and public transport facilities, and will support the Green Party's prudent, but fair, package of economic measures to finance these services.

The manifesto contains seven commitments to voters:

• An honest and prudent tax package
• To tackle climate change
• A first class public transport system
• To reward care work
• Proper planning
• A vibrant, green economy
• Clean politics

Cllr de Burca says: "We are the only party to set out an honest and prudent tax package which shows how we will raise the revenue to provide for vital public services such as new public hospital beds, extra classrooms and teachers, and more social housing. We believe that the other parties have misjudged the mood of the electorate on this. This election is about the state of public services.

"We will deliver a first class public transport system with eight new light rail lines in our cities and more regular urban and rural bus services. We will upgrade roads to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

"We will introduce proper planning so that 10,000 social and affordable houses are delivered each year and so that housing, schools, hospitals and transport links are all provided together.

"We have the political will and expertise to tackle climate change and protect our water, air, land and natural resources.

"We will create a vibrant, green economy by growing our own information technology industries, international trading services and by fostering new sustainable energy companies to provide the green products that international markets and Irish consumers want.

"We will reward care work in our tax system whether that work is with children, older people or people with disabilities. We will help every child in this country by giving their parents better parental leave and by spending an additional €1bn on our schools.

"We will clean up politics with ethics guidelines much stricter than those introduced as a sop to the discredited former government watchdogs, the PDs. We will reform local government and introduce directly elected mayors, so that public confidence in our democracy can be restored. Recent events have made it clear that, despite the tribunals, the political system in Ireland lacks transparency and honesty. As the only party in Ireland to ban corporate donations, the Greens in government would set high standards for its coalition partners.

"The other parties have had their chance. They will not deliver on these issues. It's time for the Green Party to be in government.

The Green Party manifesto may be downloaded here (495kb in Adobe Acrobat format).